Recommended Citation

NOTE: At the time of publication, the author Russell M. Cummings was on sabbatical leave from Cal Poly.

Abstract

The Advanced Remote Ground Unattended Sensor (ARGUS) utilizes drag brakes to control its terminal velocity during flight. Computational fluid dynamics predictions were performed at Mach numbers between 0.20 and 0.95 with a full scale model of the ARGUS configuration at conditions to match wind tunnel testing that has been performed at the USAFA Subsonic Wind Tunnel. Configurations consist of brakes fully deployed for a nominal brake fin and a perforated brake fin. Steady-stated computations were performed using the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model at angles of attack between 0 degrees to 20 degrees at roll angles of 0 degrees and 45 degrees. Unsteady calculations were performed for selected cases using Detached-Eddy Simulation. Predictions are compared with available wind tunnel data from the USAFA test, and aerodynamic peculiarities are investigated with flow visualization.